Federal Budget 101

Welcome to Federal Budget 101

The $3.9 trillion the government is planning to spend in fiscal year 2015 is your tax dollars. A budget is as much about spending as it is about raising revenue, and individuals like you fund the federal government through income taxes and payroll taxes. That means we're all stakeholders in how that money is spent. No matter what your priorities – the federal budget affects you.

As stakeholders, it is our right and our obligation to see that our tax dollars are spent in ways that reflect our priorities. To do that we need to know where that money is going, and how budget decisions are made. Federal Budget 101 gives you that crucial information.

Throughout Federal Budget 101, you’ll see that some words are in bold text. Those are words you can find in the Federal Budget Glossary.

Where would you like to start?

About National Priorities Project

National Priorities Project (NPP) makes our complex federal budget transparent and accessible so people can exercise their right and responsibility to oversee and influence how their tax dollars are spent.